The Fallen
by FuocoAccigliatoDrago
Summary: Rated for violence, possible language, death and one-sided slash. A lonely Luigi slowly begins to uncover the truth about the Mushroom Kingdom's past. And what's this dark book and crystal that he found...? *ON HOLD until back heals*
1. Sweet Sacrifice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

P.S. The song "Sweet Sacrifice" belongs to Evanescence

* * *

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

* * *

Key

"**blah"** = Song lyrics

* * *

**It's true we're all a little insane**

_Plip, plop, plip, plop_

The sound of water echoed through the otherwise silent, dark abyss. What was disturbing was the fact that this substance held a distinct, metallic odor. A scent that one can easily recognize as _blood_.

**But it's so clear**

The darkness slowly began to disperse; bit by bit. Thus, revealing the source of the ominous substance. And, unfortunately, a truly terrifying sight was revealed.

**Now that I'm unchained**

A young man; in his early twenties, hung limply from a set of chains, that appeared to be made from some kind of metal; which were emitting faint dark wisps. His rich dark hair was matted against his pale, boyish face as he breathed softly. He wore no shirt, just a pair of simple, yet, baggy black sweatpants.

**Fear is only in our minds**

Without warning, there came a loud, sickening crack as the chains shattered; dissolving into harmless mists. The man collapsed with a soft groan; eerie, yet, exotic markings slowly formed along his right arm. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, slightly inward icy eyes snapped open. They shone an unearthly shade of grey; so pale that they seemed white, the pupils nothing more than thin slits. A cruel, sadistic grin twisted his pale, chapped lips.

**Taking over all the time**

Looking down at his map, the young man couldn't help but shiver with unease. Messy chestnut hair framed his soft, boyish face and he had large, yet innocent sapphire eyes. He wore a dark emerald shirt, faded blue jean overalls, scruffy brown boots, and a dark emerald cap with an "L" crest. He whimpered as lightning cackled in the ominous skies overhead; which was followed by the furious roar of thunder.

**Fear is only in our minds, but it's taking over all the time**

Looming ahead, just down the beaten path, was the mansion that he had supposedly won. Looking up once more, he swallowed thickly as the lightning momentarily lit the building. And what he saw, sent bone chilling terror through him.

**You poor sweet innocent thing**

The mansion was quite the sight. A grand, third story home with tall pillars and what appeared to be a rather impressive looking rooftop. Although, there seemed to be a problem; the building appeared to be falling apart. The structure was slowly rotting; causing it to tilt slight. Some of the windows were boarded up, while others held a soft, ominous glow.

**Dry your eyes and testify**

As he hesitantly stepped towards the shady building, it felt as if he was being watched by someone or…some_thing_. And so, he grabbed ahold of the brass knob, turned it; and slowly stepped inside in what could only be described as a hellish nightmare.

**You know you live to break me, don't deny**

The door suddenly slammed behind him, causing him to jump; and missed seeing the stranger who was watching him with impish glee. The stranger laughed softly; a cold, cruel laugh as the owner vanished. Although, he cringed as that malicious laughter reached his sensitive ears.

**Sweet sacrifice**

Pale, grey eyes glowed softly as he watched his pathetic light cringe and shiver from fright. He then smirked when his light yelped as a shimmering orange mist abruptly appeared; startling his little one quite badly. His grin widen at the thought of his little one's reaction to the truth; and chuckled softly.

**One day I'm gonna forget your name**

Picking up the rusty key that had been left behind, he made out the faded letters; realizing that it was for one of the doors upstairs. He looked up to where a set of spiral stairs that led upwards; with an unreadable look.

**And one sweet day you're gonna drown in my pain**

A short, slightly plump man sighed in frustration as he glared darkly at his captor. Messy dark hair framed his round face, and tired honey colored eyes. He wore a dark red shirt, faded blue jean overalls, scruffy brown boots, and a dark red cap with an "M" crest.

**Fear is only in our minds**

However, his glare dropped as those gleaming ruby; quite similar to blood, eyes met his uneasy brown ones. Fear gripped him in its icy clutches, as his captor cackled gleefully; baring sharp fangs. Shivering, he swallowed thickly as the psychotic laughter washed over him.

**Taking over all the time**

Time moved about in an agonizingly slow pace, and he could feel himself slowly being drained. Hearing soft movement, the man slowly looked up; his exhausted brown eyes met pained blue ones. Hope shot through him as he scrambled to his feet. Oh, he recognized the newcomer; it was his little brother!

**Fear is only in our minds, but it's taking over all the time**

The dark soul lingered behind his light; who was listening carefully to what he was being told by an elderly man. This man was quite short and thin; wispy white hair that stuck up as if he'd been electrocuted, and beady dark eye eyes that were hidden behind a pair of thick, coke bottle glasses. He wore a white lab coat over a brown shirt, dark slacks and brown shoes.

**You poor sweet innocent thing**

Sapphire eyes widen slightly as the young man gaped at his friend. Could the professor be right about such an outrageous theory? Suddenly, a pair of icy hands wrapped around his waist, and he shuddered as a strange feeling washed over him.

**Dry your eyes and testify**

Tired blue eyes twinkled softly as he tended to his little garden that surrounded the small, but comfortable looking cottage. He was surrounded by blue bells, sage, lilacs, lilies, orchids, and of course, his most favorite; roses. The roses came in various shades of red, orange and coral, yellow, white, purple and the rare blue.

**And oh, you love to hate me, don't you honey?**

Life was finally getting back to normal. His brother and several of their friends had left for a series of islands, for a much needed vacation. Of course, he would have gone with them; only one problem. He had fallen ill a few days earlier, and was still recovering from what had happened during the mansion incident; as he called it.

**I'm your sacrifice**

He froze as soft laughter erupted all around him. Gulping, he snapped to attention; looking around frantically. Panicked blue eyes fearfully searched for the source of the dark sound; only to find nothing. Just then, a pair of ice cold hands gripped his shoulders with bruising force.

**I dream in darkness**

Grimacing slightly, he managed to wrench free from the iron-like grasp. Rubbing his now tender shoulder, he looked up and met the eerie golden eyes of his captor. Standing before he was an odd looking man. The man, who was slightly taller than his brother, was dressed in a deep purple-and-gold collared, black-and-white uniform, knee high black leather boots, short black gloves, and an unusual yin-yang styled mask.

**I sleep to die**

It was strange, though. He had never seen the man before, but the man felt strangely familiar. Blue eyes narrowed slightly as the jester hovered in mid-air, circling him in a playfully sly manner. Nervousness suddenly filled him; what did this man want?

**Erase the silence**

He jumped, startled, as the man snapped a finger. And much to his shock, a somewhat translucent energy shield formed around him. Scared, he pounded furiously against the walls; only for the shield to hold. Panting, he took a step back; looking up with frightened eyes.

**Erase my life**

Angry, dark red flames suddenly erupted from within the shield. Yelping, he scrambled back; in a desperate attempt to avoid the scorching heat. Besides the blazing inferno, jagged spikes of pure stone, burst forth from the ground; nearly impaling him.

**Our burning ashes**

The shield abruptly dissipated, and the jester watched as _his_ beloved was sent flying quite a distance. A soft moaned escaped bloodied lips as he crashed sickeningly into the ground. Glassy blue eyes blinked owlishly as his body slowly began to shut down.

**Blacken the day**

The jester floated above the semi-conscious man; gold eyes sparkling with impish glee. He calmly stepped down from where he was hovering, and knelt down to the young man; running a gloved hand through singed, brown locks.

**A world of nothingness**

Pale grey eyes narrowed slightly as the owner was introduced to a trio of odd looking people, by an even strange looking woman. The woman had rich, deep cobalt skin, dark eyes that were hidden by a pair of inward ink glasses, and shocking bubblegum pink hair. She wore a white silk blouse, a gray miniskirt, white leggings and shiny black heels.

First, there was a tall, bulky man. He had sallow skin, thinning reddish-orange hair, a reddish-orange beard, and beady dark eyes. He wore a sleeveless black shirt, a dark gray-and-red vest, black slacks, dark red gauntlets and ankle high, dark reddish-orange boots. Second, was a young girl; early to mid-teens. She had very pale green skin, dark emerald hair that was tied up in pigtails, and cruel doe brown eyes. She wore a sleeveless, white polka-dotted, yellow sundress and tan colored sandals.

The last, was an odd little jester…

**Blow me away**

Honey colored eyes widen slightly as dark emerald, nearly black, flames rose up before the small group; forming an adolescent sized portal. And to everyone's amazement, someone or some_thing_, came out; the portal promptly closing behind them. The new arrival; obviously man, was wearing a black leather, hooded trench coat, complete with black turtleneck, black slacks, black gloves and shiny black boots. Malicious, pale grey eyes glowed softly as the owner gave them a toothy grin.

**Do you wonder why you hate?**

A small groaned escaped pale, chapped lips as sleepy blue eyes fluttered; slowly opening. Cloudy eyes blinked owlishly as the owner gradually managed to sit up. Those cloudy eyes rapidly cleared as the owner took in the desolated landscape. Terrified, he scrambled back; whimpering softly.

**Are you still too weak to survive your mistake?**

The ground lurched dangerously as a massive black paw slammed down. The heroes could only look on in utter horror as the swirling dark emerald flames formed into a gargantuan black fox with nine, silver-tipped tails. And it's eyes; dark gold with startling grey slits, glared hatefully at them, before letting out an enraged howl.

**You poor sweet innocent thing**

_Beep…beep…beep…_

The soft, steady beeping of a machine, filled the small, private room. Ever so slowly, soft sapphire eyes fluttered; before slowly opening. The owner soon found himself staring up at a creamy white ceiling. He made a move, as if to sit up; and immediately regretted it. Almost instantly, white hot agony swept through him; causing him to cry out.

**Dry your eyes and testify**

Despite the boiling pain, he distinctly felt a pair of strong hands, gently pushing him back down onto the soft bed. Then the owner gently ran their fingers through his hair; whispering soothing words as they brushed away his tears.

**You know you live to break me**

The gentle caress and soothing words, slowly calmed him down as exhausted blue eyes met soft brown. Slowly, a numbing cold washed over him, and he could feel himself shutting down.

**Don't deny**

And strangely enough? He wasn't afraid. He clenched his brother's free hand; soaking up that loving warmth. His breathing steadily grew slower; softer and he smiled tiredly as his vision blurred slightly. Maybe, just maybe, he could finally rest.

**Sweet sacrifice**

Dull blue eyes slid shut, and with a soft sigh; he fell limp. Never once seeing his brother's horrified eyes, no the terrifying cries that echoed in the room. All he knew, was blissful peace.

_Beep… … …_


	2. Startling Discoveries

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

* * *

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

* * *

Key

"_**blah"**_ = Luigi's thoughts

* * *

Prologue

"**Startling Discoveries"**

Hm…

A young man, was carefully making his way to the heart of the jungle; here on Isola da Segreto. Isola da Segreto; or the Island of Mystery. This island was quite untouched by time, overflowing with luscious jungles and grand mountains.

_**It should be close…**_

Messy chestnut hair framed his soft, boyish face, creamy tan skin, a slightly thin, but muscular frame, and gentle sapphire eyes. He wore a sleeveless white shirt, lightly tanned shorts and vest, white socks and brown hiking boots. He also wore a set of dark emerald wrist bands, a thin silver chain hung from his neck, and a pair of dark sunglasses perched upon his head.

His name…?

Luigi Mario.

Life had gotten rather interesting for him and his brother; ever since their arrival. Roughly four years ago; Luigi was about nineteen, he and his brother had been dragged from their world of Earth, to the Mushroom Kingdom. And oddly enough, about two weeks later, their mischievous cousins; of all people, had somehow followed them.

Anyway…

The Mushroom Kingdom was ruled by a pretty woman named Princess Peach. Luigi inwardly smirked, recalling fondly on just how big his brother's crush on the princess, really was. Chuckling softly, Luigi shook his head with a soft smile. Peace was rather pretty with waist length, sun-kissed blond hair, a soft heart-shaped face, naturally creamy skin, and soft baby blue eyes. She usually wore a short sleeved, pale pink gown; elbow length white gloves and dainty pink heels. A small, gold crown perched upon her head.

The kingdom's inhabitants, wooh-boy. Now, _that_ was an interesting race; to say the least. An odd race of little creatures known as "toads". The Toads were quite short with stubby arms and legs. They were usually seen wearing colorful vests, mushroom caps in various colors, white shorts and brown shoes. In fact, Toadsworth; an elderly Toad, was Princess Peach's loyal retainer. Toadsworth wore a dark brown-and-amethyst vest, a creamy brown mushroom cap with dark chocolate sports, dark pants and brown shoes. He also relied on a cane to move around. And, although Luigi liked living in the kingdom; a feeling of restlessness gripped him in an almost painful manner. It also didn't help that his brother had gradually stopped bringing him on adventures.

_**Oh, Mario.**_

Luigi frowned, as he thought about his brother. Mario was older than him by five years; which meant that Mario was twenty-eight. Mario was a somewhat short and plump man with messy dark hair framing his round face, soft creamy skin, and kind honey colored eyes. He usually wore a dark red shirt, faded blue jean overalls, scruffy brown boots and a dark red cap with an "M" crest. He loved his brother, really he did. But Luigi was realizing that their once tight bond was slowly declining. Sadly, Luigi found himself spiraling downwards into a dangerous state of depression. Luigi was only lucky that Toadsworth had noticed this, and had suggested something that peaked his curiosity. It would appear that Toadsworth had noticed his interest in the kingdom's history.

Archeology.

Luigi did, however, have a reason for being here. A couple weeks ago, there had been an interesting rumor floating about. Isola da Segreto supposedly held many answers to the kingdom's past and perhaps this world as well. So of course, he was going to look into this!

…eh?

He stopped in mid-strife, and tilted his head. Funny, he could have sworn that he heard something. Shrugging off his sudden unease, Luigi continued his hike. Anyway, it was probably nothing.

…laughter?

Luigi froze as the soft, sweet laughter washed over him. Now, he knew he wasn't hearing things! Looking around nervously for the source; he never did well when it came to the supernatural, only to find nothing. Nothing except for the tall trees and plants, anyway. Absentmindedly, Luigi reached up and gently brushed against a rather nasty looking scar. There, starting just inches under his right ear was an ugly gash that went at a diagonal angle. Luigi frowned, eyes flashing darkly as he remembered that terrifying day…

* * *

FLASHBACK

**Sixteen years ago**

_Seven-year-old Luigi giggled softly as he happily followed the pretty lights toward the lake that was a part of the Brooklyn State Park. Earlier, his mother had brought him and Mario to the park. Already, Mario had gone off to find his friends, leaving Luigi alone with their mother. __Now, Luigi had never told anyone about this, but he had a rare gift; the ability to see and communicate with spirits. But, Luigi wasn't sure how his family would react to this; and so, he kept quiet…_

_As he neared the lake, a sudden feeling of dread swept through him. One of the colored lights; a soft emerald, carefully perched upon his right shoulder. And despite the hazy light, he could easily make out the tiny figure of a pretty girl with curly green hair and delicate wings; a fairy._

"_Hey, freak!"_

…_eh?_

_Cringing slightly, Luigi slowly turned around and gulped. Storming his way, was a group of older boy's; roughly mid to late teens. Luigi tensed as he inspected each teen carefully. At least five boys, three a bit on the stocky side with the other two being a little taller with muscular frames. __Whimpering softly from the hateful glares, Luigi took a hesitant step back; eyes wild with terror. "What do you think you're doing here, freak?" One sneered, looking gleeful when the child flinched. "P-p-p-playing," Luigi stammered._

_Whoops._

_Luigi knew that he had made a mistake when their glares turned ugly. But, before he could react, the group surrounded him; preventing him from escaping. He shivered, feeling rather uneasy. The question was, what did they want? __Suddenly, and without warning, one teen landed a savage kick to his side. Luigi yelped, cringing deeply as he curled up into a tight ball. Moments later, Luigi was being kicked and punched by all five boys. After a while, they pulled back; breathing heavily. Luigi whimpered as a burning pain tore through his fragile body. Dark bruises marred his pale skin, his right eye was completely sealed shut, a busted lip, and his nose was somewhat swollen; blood dripping. And judging by his raspy breathing, Luigi's ribs were fractured, that or they were broken. Either way, it wasn't good. _

_Just then, one of the boys held him down, as another pulled out some rope. Luigi could only look on in utter horror as the rope was tied tightly around his throat, with the other end being tied around a rather large rock._

_**Please, no…**_

_Luigi tried to escape, but only to freeze when he felt the cold steel of metal against his throat. Swallowing thickly, Luigi looked up into the dark eyes of who could only be the leader. He then realized what was being held to his throat._

_A Swiss-Army knife…_

END FLASHBACK

* * *

The last thing Luigi remembered was feeling the smooth metal sliding across his throat, followed by the iciness of water; then nothing at all. He never did find out who those boys were, either. He scowled as the consequences of that day, hit him like a ton of bricks. Unfortunately, he was no able to see anything and everything that belonged to the supernatural; whether demonic or celestial in origin. The type of spirits that he truly despised, were the ones who died horrible, violent deaths; so violence was all that they knew. It also meant that the dark spirits could harm him. Luckily, for him, that these particular spirits were rare in this world something that Luigi was eternally grateful for.

Anyhow…

Shaking his head, Luigi forced back his dark thoughts. This wasn't the time to reminisce, after all, he still had a job to do. Taking out his map once more, Luigi scanned it carefully.

Hm…

According to this, the entrance to the cavern was just a few feet away; a little off to the right. He then folded the map, pocketed and with a sigh, took off.

. . .

"_Is he the one?"_

"…_yes…"_

* * *

After forty-five minutes of walking, Luigi discovered a rather large clearing. He stopped, tilting his head as he realized that something was off. The floral life here was three times their normal size; and the air felt oddly heavy. Luigi emerged from some bushes, stepping into the clearing. However, it was at that precise moment, that something went wrong.

_PAIN!_

Boiling, white hot agony tore through him; causing him to cry out. Grasping his head, Luigi fell to his knees; practically convulsing. What sounded like hundreds—no—_thousands_ of voices; young and old, male and female, roared within, threatening his very sanity. Unknowingly, the ground beneath him began to glow a soft blue. Slowly, intricate lines started to weave themselves; forming a rather large crescent moon sigil. Suddenly, the ground started to bubble, and something slithered out; latching tightly onto his ankles. Sapphire eyes snapped open and Luigi panicked as he slowly began to sink into the ground.

"_No, please no!"_

Luigi moaned, utterly terrified, thrashing wildly in a desperate attempt to escape, but it was no use. Whatever was dragging him down, had one hell of a grip; and Luigi winced as the pressure increased.

Ouch.

By now, he was up to his chest, and continued to sink at an alarming rate. Suddenly hearing soft, padded footsteps, Luigi managed to look up. And what Luigi saw, caused his blue eyes to widen in a mixture of shock and awe.

Oh, wow.

Staring back at the stunned man, was a rather large feline. The sleek and agile animal, padded out, lithe muscles rippling underneath the inky black fur. Luigi recognized it almost instantly; a panther. As his head slowly sank, Luigi realized something. This panther didn't have the normal yellowish-green eyes. Instead, soft blue eyes met his, and the panther rumbled soft as Luigi's vision went gray.

Then black.

* * *

**Time Unknown**

/"So, this is your child?"/

The voice was soft and slightly husky; holding a distinct femininity to the tone. The owner was that of a young woman, roughly early to mid-twenties. And she wasn't alone, either. There at least four others; two more women and two men, and they were all similar in ages. Floating there, in the otherwise silent, dark abyss was the unconscious form of one Luigi Mario. But, Luigi didn't seemed to be in pain, as he was smiling softly in his sleep. Perhaps he was having a good dream for once? Ever so slowly, the five began to take shape; emerging from the shadows as they surrounded Luigi. The first to appear was a very beautiful woman. Rich bluish-black hair fell to her shoulders in soft curls, a sweet heart-shaped face, soft creamy skin and almond shaped dark blue eyes. Strangely enough, her dark eyes held tiny, soft silver specks; like the night sky. She wore a tight and sleeveless, high collared black dress that flared at her hips, black tights and knee high black boots.

Next, came a young man. Wavy ebony hair, which held natural blue-violet tones, framed his elfin face perfectly, creamy pale skin, and slightly inward pitch black eyes. He wore a black silk shirt, dark gray-almost-black slacks and jacket, a dark gray tie and shiny black shoes.

The third person to emerge, was another woman. Soft silver hair fell a bit passed her shoulders, a beautiful cherubic face, creamy white skin and large silver eyes. She wore a simple white spaghetti strapped sundress and white sundress. Next, came another man. Dark reddish-gold hair fell around his oval-shaped face in messy curls, sun-kissed skin and feral golden eyes. He wore no shirt; showing off a muscular chest, but a short sleeved dark red jacket, baggy reddish-orange shorts and golden sandals. Finally, came the last woman. Rich, honey brown hair framed her angular face in gentle waves, lightly tanned skin and warm sapphire eyes. She wore an elegant royal blue gown, a dark, yet deep blue cloak trimmed in gold with a ruby broach, and dainty black heels.

She caressed Luigi's cheek, smiling softly as he leaned into the gentle touch. /"Of course, sister."/ She said quietly. The silver haired woman placed a small hand over Luigi's heart, closing her eyes. Moments later, she opened and smiled slightly. /"You've chosen well,"/ She suddenly frowned. /"A bit depressed, though."/ She bent down and kissed his brow, then took a step back. /"He has my blessings."/ A small crescent moon appeared on his forehead, glowing softly. /"Kid's gonna need all the help he can get,"/ The red head said, gruffly. He smirked, eyes sparkling playfully. /"He's got my blessings."/ A swirling reddish-gold sun slowly appeared behind the moon.

"**GOOD LUCK, LUIGI."**

* * *

"Ugh…what happened…?"

Luigi groaned softly, slowly regaining consciousness. Wincing as he sat up, Luigi managed to open his eyes. His blue eyes were a bit hazy, but they soon cleared. Luigi looked around; a bit unsure of his surroundings. The trees had been replaced with cold, hard stone. The room that he was in, was quite large and circular in shape. Crumbling pillars lined the walls, which had eroded over the years. Also, he made note of old torches between each pillar. Luigi slowly stood up, grimacing a bit as a fragment of the stone floor pressed painfully against his boots. How'd he get here, anyway? As the last thing he remembered, was sinking into the ground. Not to mention finding a panther watching him; and then…then…then what…?

He couldn't remember.

…hm?

There was a faint energy in the air, and it seemed to tease him relentlessly. Luigi snapped to attention, immediately looking to his right. There was a set of steps that led upwards, and barely visible at the top, was a door. With perfectly blank eyes, Luigi slowly and carefully made his way over and shuffled up the stairs. Soft voices whispered soothing words; promising safety. His beautiful blue eyes had completely glazed over; whatever laid within these ruins, had ensnared the young man.

Once he was at the top, he discovered an old wooden door that was partially hidden by a curtain of ivy; ivy which had been growing over the walls. The door slowly opened, and he eventually went inside; and the door promptly slammed behind him. The second the door closed, his dull, darkened eyes regained their natural, warm hue. The bewildered man looked around wildly; confusion easily reflected as pitch darkness greeted him. There was a sudden, but low rumble; and without warning, lights illuminated the area.

How did—?

He squeaked, jumping when torches lighted themselves. Shivering, he found himself inside a tunnel; and nervously headed to the end and was surprised by what he found. The tunnel, apparently, had led to a somewhat small, circular room. Several torches lined the walls, which gave off a soft, but warm glow.

…eh?

There, sitting comfortably in the center of the room, was a lone lectern. Just then, a dark seductive energy, erupted from the lectern; wait…there was something on it. Curiosity replacing unease, Luigi walked over and picked up the object. "A…book?" He murmured, raising an eyebrow.

It _was_ a book.

The pages; flicked with gold, was held together by a simple black binding. Startling, blood red lines formed intricate seals along the edges; and a single, dark blue gem was embedded in the center. Strangely enough, this book felt familiar. And before he knew it, Luigi was opening it.

Big mistake.

The second his fingers brushed against the binding, the gem flashed a wicked red, before opening by itself; pages rapidly turning. And ever so slowly, a pure crystallized black heart, rose up from the fluttering pages. Before Luigi could react, the heart shot out; sinking deeply into his flesh, becoming a part of a terrified Luigi. Even the book itself, began to dissolve…

Luigi fell to his knees, breathing heavily. For a second, nothing seemed to happen. Then, out of nowhere, a burning pain surge through him; going straight for his heart. He cringed deeply as the pain reached unimaginable levels. Luigi couldn't help it.

He screamed…


	3. A Curious Invitation

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

* * *

Key

_**Blah**_ – Luigi's thoughts

_Blah_ – Everyone else's thoughts

* * *

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

* * *

Chapter 1

"**A Curious Invitation"**

Mario House

_Two Weeks Later_

-Dream-

_**What…what's going on…?**_

Luigi blinked, a bit surprised (if not confused), to find himself sitting at the kitchen table at home. His brother; Mario, sat across from him, looking oddly bored. Everything _seemed_ normal, but Luigi was getting a bad feeling about this. He practically jumped when a familiar, yet terrified, voice tore through the air; disturbing the otherwise peaceful home.

"M-M-M-M-M-M-MARIO! HELP!"

The two exchanged uneasy looks, before scrambling to their feet and bolting out the door. Luigi was concerned as Toad ran down the path, running up to them; breathing heavily and eyes wild from fright. "Toad?" Luigi asked, gently as he knelt down. "What happened?"

"Mushroom Castle…" Toad wheezed, struggling to breath. _"Raided!"_ Luigi stiffened, before sighing. "Princess Peach…_stolen_!" Looking up, Luigi noticed the darkening of Mario's eyes; and with another sigh, stood back up.

_**Figures.**_

"Think Bowser had anything to do with this?" He asked Mario, who scowled. "Probably." Luigi hummed softly, glancing upwards with an unreadable look.

* * *

Mario yawned as he got up that morning; gradually getting dressed in his usual clothing. As he headed downstairs, and bypassed his brother's door; which stood partially opened. _Hm_, he mused. _I suppose that he's still sleeping._ Yawning again, Mario headed for the kitchen for some much needed coffee.

* * *

-Dream-

Bowser's Castle

An unusually large reptilian turtle-like creature stood before a massive army. This being stood at an impressive height of six feet with a slightly bulky, yet muscular frame. Dark golden scales covered sleek muscles, a dark emerald shell with razor sharp spikes, sharp claw-like hands, and dark red bangs and mane. Black leather, silver studded belts were firmly wrapped around his arms.

This…was Bowser.

Bowser chuckled; dark eyes glittering. "Listen well, my elite minions." He announced in a loud, but gruff voice. "Today is the day that I make my beloved Princess Peach _all_ mine." He grinned lecherously. "I'll _also_ stomp her little mustache buddies!" His army, which consisted of small, brown mushroom creatures known as Goomba's, and small turtle-like creatures known as Koopa's and Troopa's; and every single one cheered loudly for their king. Bowser continued to laugh, before spotting two familiar figures among his army. Snarling, and with flames flickering around his mouth, Bowser jumped down and stormed over. His minions squeaked, before fleeing in fear. "Mario!" He growled, before blinking. "_And_ Luigi?" Oh boy, Bowser sounded pissed. "How'd you get in here, anyway?"

"You left the front gate open," Mario said, dryly. Bowser spluttered wildly in return. "WHAT?" He stomped a foot; growling loudly. "How many times have I told those idiots?" He snarled. "If you're the last one in, _lock the gate_!" Luigi frowned, his eyes darkening slightly. "You can quit the act, Bowser," He said, coldly. "We know you took the princess." Eyes flashing, he gave the lizard king an ugly look.

"Now where is she?"

Bowser stopped, all anger gone, leaving only confusion. "What are you talking about?" Luigi stiffened, unease slowly filling him. If Bowser didn't have Peach…then…who did?

"MARIO! HELP!"

The two brothers jumped back, stunned when Princess Peach, abruptly appeared overhead. She appeared to be all right; if not a little distressed. Luigi could barely make out a somewhat translucent energy shield that was around her. A strange, dark energy laced itself within the ominous air, and a man suddenly appeared next to the trapped princess. The man's skin was a shimmering, yet rich, dark blue and a single, visible red-gold eye; the other was hidden by a monocle. He wore an expensive looking white tuxedo, a blood red tie, white gloves and cufflinks, and a white top hat. His pristine white cape fluttered behind him as he gripped a ruby encrusted gold staff.

Who on earth…?

"Your princess," the man rasped; voice low but rich. "has been stolen…by Count Bleck!" Bowser scowled, glaring up at him. "By who…?" He hissed as the man gave a feral grin; sending Luigi's poor nerves into overdrive. "By me…Count Bleck!"

Count…Bleck?

"The chosen executor of the Dark Prognosticus…is Count Bleck!" Gee, ego much? But, for Luigi, the words 'Dark Prognosticus' was oddly familiar; perhaps a little _too_ familiar. Bowser was growling, flames spurting from his mouth. "I'll tell you who doesn't make sense," he snarled. _"You!"_ He stomped a foot in anger. "Now," he snapped. "Release Princess Peach!"

"No."

"This princess is integral to fulfilling the prophecy," Bleck answered, slyly. "She will be brought to Castle Bleck and be used to destroy all worlds!" Luigi turned a sickly white. "D-D-Destroy all worlds?" He stammered, horrified by such a thought. Mario scowled, clenching his fists tight. And before Luigi could stop him, Mario lunged for Bleck. Just then, a dark purplish-black energy swirled around Bleck; and as he raised his staff, sent it into Mario. Luigi could only look on in stunned horror as his brother crashed into the ground; hard.

"Mario!"

* * *

"Mmm-mm…"

Mario sighed softly, as he inhaled the delicious aroma of his coffee. His mind began to drift over what had happened upon his brother's return. Mario smiled slightly; it was interesting, to say the least.

* * *

_Flashback_

Two Weeks Earlier

Mario was waiting anxiously at the docks, along with Princess Peach and Daisy, Toad and Toadsworth, and his mischievous cousins; Wario and Waluigi. His little brother, Luigi, was due to return from his trip. Mario looked over, and hid a smirk at the sight of Princess Daisy. Daisy was the princess of Sarasland, a major tomboy and crushing badly on Luigi. She had soft, curly auburn hair that fell a bit below her shoulders, a soft heart-shaped face; a small nose and full lips, soft creamy skin, and kind emerald green eyes. She wore an orange trimmed, yellow gown, a daisy jeweled broach, dainty heels and a gold crown with a single emerald.

Shaking his head, Mario glanced over to his cousins. How those two followed him and Luigi, he would never know. And by the looks of it, the two were up to something…again.

Wario was just a year old than him, and slightly shorter. He had rather short, yet messy dark chestnut hair, a round face with a pug-like nose, pale skin and beady blue eyes. He wore a dark yellow tee, complete with dark purple overalls, black boots, white gloves and a yellow cap with a "W" crest. Plus, he had a girlfriend who resembled Daisy, named Mona. Waluigi was only a year younger, but much taller and thinner than Luigi. Like Wario, he had short and messy, dark chestnut hair, a thin and pointed face, slightly pale skin and beady dark eyes. He wore a dark purple shirt, black jean overalls, scruffy dark boots, white gloves and a dark purple cap with a backwards, upside down "L" crest.

Anyway…

It had had been rather surprising for Mario, to find out what Luigi did whenever he was gone from the kingdom. In fact, Toadsworth had scolded Mario for his recent treatment against Luigi. And upon hearing this, left Mario feeling pretty guilty; and knew that Toadsworth was right.

"It's here!" Daisy squealed.

…eh?

Mario was roused from his depressing thoughts, looking up in time to see an ocean liner, pulling up to the docks. After a while, the passengers departed; and scanning the crowd for that familiar shade of green, they were disappointed to find nothing.

"Hello," said a soft voice.

Toad yelped; jumping slightly. Turning around, they were greeted by the sight of an amused Luigi. Mario inspected his little brother, carefully taking in everything. Luigi's pale skin had taken on a warm, golden tone, his hair was a shade or two lighter and his blue eyes shone softly. He currently wore a sleeveless, dark emerald turtleneck, blue jean shorts, white socks and brown hiking boots; and carried a small duffle bag. Mario's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the bandages around his brother's right hand; what could have happened to him? "Your back!" Daisy cheered, hugging Luigi who blushed. That was when she spotted the bandages, and grew concerned. "Master Luigi," Toadsworth began, catching their attention. "I take it, that things hadn't turned out as we'd hoped?"

Luigi flushed a bit.

But, before he could answer, a sharp pain shot through his right arm. Hissing, Luigi grasped his arm; the pain steadily growing. "Weegee?" Mario called, softly as he used the childish nickname. Seeing their concerned looks, Luigi sighed and reluctantly began to remove the bandages…

END _Flashback_

* * *

Mario frowned thoughtfully; brown eyes staring blankly at the cup of cooling coffee. Somehow, someone or some_thing_ had branded his little brother. A delicate vine with small thorns, had woven itself around Luigi's hand. Even stranger, was that the mark appeared to be _growing_.

Anyway…

With a soft sigh, Mario set his cup down; then stood up and went to get the mail. Opening the mailbox, Mario was surprised to find a single letter inside. Pulling it out, a single name stood out in big, bold, black print:

**Luigi Mario**

* * *

-Dream-

"Ooh…what happened…?"

"Heh, he…oh, you're awake, Princess!"

Blue eyes snapped open, and a disoriented Princess Peach was looking around in unease. For some reason, she was inside of what appeared to be a wedding chapel. Count Bleck was hovering overhead, and Bowser; who was wearing a white tuxedo, stood across from her. Peach was horrified to find herself wearing a wedding gown and carrying a bouquet of lilies.

Oh, dear.

"Wh-what's going on here?" Peach shrieked, and was startled when a young woman abruptly appeared next to Count Bleck. The woman had deep cobalt skin, shocking bubblegum pink hair that was done in a bun, and dark eyes that were cleverly hidden by a pair of cat-like pink glasses. She wore a gray business suit, a white blouse with a gray skirt, white stocks and shiny black heels.

So, who was she?

"Count!" Her voice was soft, but husky. "Yeah, um 'k." Wow, did she sound nervous. "So, preperations are complete." Bleck's grin sent a chill through Peach. "Mmm…then it shall be done." He then turned to Bowser. "Bowser," he rasped. "ferocious and fearsome, evil king of the Koopas," Bleck's grin continued to grow, and Peach felt ill. "Do you take Princess Peach to be your lawfully wedded wife 'till your games be over?" Ugh, Bowser grinned and roared with laughter. "Will I marry Peach?" Bowser cackled with impish glee. "Are you kidding me?" His grin turned lecherous. "The answer's _yes_!" Gagging, she jumped when she heard loud cheering. Looking over, she was stunned to find that nearly every Goomba, Koopa and Troopa that worked for Bowser, was in the audience.

Wait…

_Is that…Luigi?_ Peach was horrified to find him among the audience. And she was pretty sure that he was unconscious. Now, Count Bleck turned to her. "Peach," he rasped. "noble princess, pure of heart," She wasn't liking where this was going. "Do you take Bowser to be your lawfully wedded husband 'til your games be over?"

Oh, **hell** no!

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "Now, wait just a minute!" She snapped. "You will explain to me what is going on…right now!" Count Bleck snickered softly; adjusting his monocle. "Is it not obvious?" He mocked. "This is your wedding, princess!"

Wha…what?

"But…why in the world and I marrying Bowser?" She demanded, sounding hysterical. Bowser continued to laugh; well, he was definitely enjoying this. "Hey, no gripes from _this_ side of the altar, Bleck old boy!" Bowser glanced at her. "I don't get all the details, but the Count here has gone to a lot of trouble planning this," he said, cheerfully. "So, just relax. We'll get married, be in love and it'll be awesome!"

"No!"

Peach stomped her foot in anger. "And who picked this dress out?" She demanded. "It's awful!" She was _so_ not happy right now. "Take me back to my castle immediately!" The strange woman frowned; and without warning, Peach was forcibly thrown to the ground. An eerie red light, cackled around her now paralyzed body. "Yeah, um, being rude to the esteemed count is frowned on." She scolded. "Now, Princess Peach, I'm gonna need you to answer the count." Sighing, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Do you, Peach, take Bowser to be your wedded husband 'til your games be over?"

"Unh…nuh…no…"

The woman was impressed, and raised an eyebrow. "You're definitely a fighter," she mused, before smiling. "But, yeah, no one can withstand my hypnosis." Looking down, her eyes grew cold when Peach whimpered. "I do, say it!"

"Oooh…ooooh…I…I…do…"

Suddenly, the church gave a dangerous lurch, as the altar trembled. Bowser's dark eyes widen as a rather large, pure black crystallized heart, rose up. "Wh-what?" He spluttered, as it flew up to Bleck. _What the hell is going on here?_ He wondered, feeling nervous.

"Ugh…"

Luigi groaned, stirring a bit, as he slowly regained consciousness. He managed to sit up, shaking his head; then looked around in curiosity. Wait, why was he inside a chapel?

…eh?

Sensing the dark energy, Luigi looked over; surprised to find Bowser and a semi-conscious Peach, at the altar. Count Bleck and an unknown woman, hovered over them. "What the—?" He mumbled, a bit confused by this. _Nastasia_, the wind whispered.

Ah, so that's her name.

Bleck snickered, his eyes glowing softly, and his lips twisted into an insane smile. "Yessss…" He hissed. "All precisely as written in the Dark Prognosticus!" His grin widen, sending a chill through Luigi. "Already it is unleashed, the Chaos Heart!"

Chaos Heart?

Nastasia shifted about in a nervous manner. "Oh, yeah," she mumbled. "Um, congratulations count…" She was startled when an angered voice ran out. "Hold it!" Luigi yelled, running up to them. "And just who are you?" Bleck sneered. Instead, Luigi ignored him and focused on his assistant. "I'm only going to say this once, Nastasia," he growled, shocking her when he called her by name. "Let them go." Shaking off her sudden unease, Nastasia glared at him. "I'm gonna need you to stop right this second," she scolded. "If you interrupt this now…"

Luigi frowned.

Nastasia yelped and hid behind Bleck; barely avoiding the melon-sized fire balls. Peeking out, she was surprised to find deep emerald flames, swirling around Luigi's hands; even his eyes seemed to glow with power. Unfortunately, one of his fire blasts, struck the Chaos Heart. Almost instantly, it flashed ominously, and sharp spikes sprouted. Luigi cringed deeply as the malicious dark energy washed over him…

* * *

**Luigi Mario**

Mario eyed the letter with curiosity. That was all it said, and with no return address; it was a little suspicious. Pocketing the letter, Mario was about to head back, when dread gripped him in its icy clutches.

"Luigi…"

* * *

-Dream-

"Ungh…my head…"

Luigi groaned softly, as he stirred; slowly regaining consciousness. Cloudy blue eyes opened, blinking owlishly. He sat up, blinked hard and winced. Well, at least he could see again. "Where…am I?" Luigi mumbled, looking around with curiously bright eyes. The walls were a shimmering purplish-black, with the ceiling and floor being a polished black marble. He also noted the pillars lining the walls.

"Yo! You awake, green?"

…eh?

He got too his feet, surprised when two Goomba's walked up to him. "Yes," Luigi said slowly, sounding suspicious. "Glad to see that you're okay," One said, cheerfully. Luigi was about to retort, when a soft voice whispered in his mind. _Figured he was done for._

…what?

_The guy is tougher than he looks._

Okay…

"Um," he hesitated, a bit unsure on how to proceed. "You guys haven't seen the princess or Bowser?" The duo jumped, as if startled. The second Goomba shook his head. "Afraid not," he said bitterly. "You're the only one we've found laying around." _Who cares about his friend?_

Luigi growled softly.

The two Goombas' shuddered as the man's blue eyes darkened, and he sounded like a wild animal. "As far as we know," the first one said, nervously. "the other got captured." He whimpered. "And we're probably next!" He continued, wailing. _Why _is_ this guy so calm?_ Luigi snorted, softly. _We're behind enemy lines!_ To be honest, Luigi wasn't even sure if anything could surprise him. Luigi grew thoughtful as he looked around once more.

Now, how to get out?

* * *

As Mario ran back inside, things got a little…chaotic. Lights kept flashing, utensils rattled angrily, and the furniture rattled ominously. There seemed to be a strange, heavy presence within the cottage. Without even bothering to stop and gape, Mario bolted upstairs; and straight for Luigi's room.

**CRASH!**

Before he could even reach his brother's room, the door flew open. And Mario was forced to duck, just as a large, heavy tome came flying out; crashing into the wall behind him. Scrambling to his feet, Mario peered into Luigi's room; and could only stare in utter horror. The once cozy room was completely trashed. Shelves were overturned, the furniture was in shambles, and books continuously flew, and circled the air. Wondering what had made the crash, Mario ventured inside; ducking when a book got too close, and checked the adjoining bathroom. Brown eyes widen slightly at the sight of sparkling glass shards littering the bathroom floor. Shaking his head, Mario darted across the room and to his little brother; who was tossing and turning in a restless, feverish sleep.

* * *

-Dream-

The odd trio slowly made their way through the dark castle; barely avoiding several confrontations. It wasn't long before the came to what could only be described as a dead end.

_**Figures.**_

"Um," the second Goomba hesitated, sounding nervous. The two hadn't forgotten Luigi's earlier anger. "Shouldn't we look for another way out?" He questioned. "If we stay here, somebody will surely see—"

Huh?

Luigi whirled around, shocked when the Goomba jerked wildly; dark eyes glazing over. "Hail Bleck!" He drowned, eyes empty. "Gary!" The first yelped. Wait, Gary? "No!" Luigi stiffened when he heard the soft footsteps, and slowly turned around. His eyes narrowed slightly; blue eyes turning a pale shade of gray. "You!" He hissed.

It was Nastasia.

Right behind her were several of Bowser's minions; and every single one had glazed eyes. "I've been looking all over for you," she scolded. "You're the guy who wasn't a team player back at the wedding." Nastasia was amused when he took a step back. "So, let's get started, hm?"

That did _not_ sound good.

Luigi was confused when the Goomba brushed past him, and what happened next, sent as chill through him. "Hey, lady!" He said, loudly. "Got room for one more on your team?"

WHAT?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Luigi snarled, flames swirling around his fists. The Goomba turned and glared at him. "What does it look like, genius?" He snapped. "I'm getting with the winning side!" Luigi scowled, but realized that something was off about Bowser's minions. Their eyes…it was as if they were…were…

"…brainwashed…"

Nastasia's smile grew cold.

"Alright guys," the group snapped to attention. "New agenda." Luigi tensed, eyes still a pale gray. "Hold this fool down so I can get his priorities on track." She ordered, pausing to adjust her glasses. "Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!" They droned. Luigi yelped as a Troopa clung to his arms; their claws digging painfully into tender flesh, effectively trapping him. "No!" He screamed, pale gray eyes slowly turning blue again.

"Mario!" Luigi shrieked.

"HELP ME!"

* * *

Upon reaching the bed, Mario immediately grew concerned. Luigi was growing paler by the second, and his breathing was dangerously weak. Luigi whimpered softly, gripped by a cold, clammy sweat. Suddenly, he started thrashing; arching as if he was in great pain. And soon, his whimpers became full blown, agonizing howls. _Gods_, Mario thought, feeling ill. _It's as if he's being tortured! _Taking his convulsing brother into his arms, Mario ran his fingers through Luigi's dark hair; whispering soothing words as his brother fought to escape. Without warning, the bedroom window exploded with such force; that shards flew everywhere.

Blue eyes snapped open.

Luigi was shivering violent; breathing heavily as he found himself in his brother's strong arms. The terror soon came back as memories of his frightening nightmares assaulted his fragile mind. Mario hugged his brother as Luigi burst into tears. "Oh, Weegee," he whispered, using the childish nickname. "What's happening to you?" The letter, which he had forgotten about, fell from his pocket. It fluttered to the floor, slowly opening as it fell…

_Dear Luigi,_

_Congratulations! You have just won a mansion…_


	4. The Dream Home

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

* * *

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

* * *

Chapter 2

"**The Dream Home…"**

A rather pensive Mario was quietly walking along a winding dirt path. It had been a little over a week since he found Luigi in the midst of a terrifying and violent nightmare. Something was happening to Luigi; changing him in ways that no one could fathom. And, Mario was afraid of what that outcome would be.

Anyway…

The letter that Luigi had received, had been an odd one, to say the least. Apparently, there had been a contest; something about a mansion, and Luigi had strangely won. This was highly suspicious, as Luigi had been outside the kingdom at the time of this so-called "contest". Which was why Mario was out here, walking this unfamiliar path. Hey, he wanted to make sure that this mansion was safe for his brother. Luckily, he had managed to get Wario and Waluigi to look over Luigi; who was currently comatose. Mario suddenly snorted. Heh, if everyone thought that _he_ was bad when it came to his brother's safety; Wario and Waluigi were even worse!

A gentle breeze swept through, and Mario shivered. Shaking off his unease, Mario pulled out a copy of the map that had been provided, and frowned thoughtfully. As he scanned the map, Mario failed to realize that the surrounding environment was slowly taking on a more sinister tone. The once trimmed grass grew shaggy and unkempt, trees once full of life became gnarled and dark, and the temperature dropped tremendously. Just then, lightning flashed, before the loud, booming crack of thunder, followed.

What the—?

Mario jumped, startled by the sudden change of weather. Gulping, he looked around, shivering when he saw the abrupt difference. Maybe…maybe this wasn't such a good idea. No! Mario shook his head; frightened or not, he knew that he had to do this.

…eh?

An icy breeze swept by, caused him to shiver. Dread gripping him in its icy clutches, Mario slowly looked up. His brown eyes widen slightly at the sight of the mansion sitting on the distant hill.

Oh dear.

* * *

**Mario House**

Sigh.

Twenty-seven-year-old Waluigi Wario, glanced out the small window of the living room. Two days ago, the two had received a rather alarming call from Mario. It appeared that Luigi had suffered from some sort of mental breakdown; and that Mario needed them to keep an eye out on Luigi while he went to check something out.

Of course they agreed!

_The duo arrived shortly after being called by Mario; who had sounded scared, which shocked them. Thing was, Mario never got scared; which meant that something was terribly wrong. Wario raised a hand, after stepping up to the cozy cottage; about to knock, when the door suddenly opened. A rather pale looking Mario, stood there; and he looked awful. Messy hair, unkempt clothes, and bags were beginning to form under his eyes. And his eyes were shining with exhaustion and fear; making the two quite nervous. __Mario gestured for them to come, stepping aside and granting access; before closing the door behind them. "Mario," Wario growled. "What the hell is going on?" Wario stiffened when his cousin glared at him with dangerous eyes. "Quiet!" Mario hissed. "I just got him back to sleep." His brown eyes narrowed slightly at the two. "And I don't need him to wake up."_

_Wait…him?_

_The two silently followed Mario, who first stopped by the living room. They watched with wide eyes as Mario knelt down by the couch; where a pale Luigi slept. The youngest of their family was propped gently; a pillow snuggled against his head, and a soft comforter had been placed over his shivering frame._

_What the—?_

_Mario caressed Luigi's cheek, as his brother breathed softly; his eyes gentle, but sad. Sighing, he stood back up. "Come on," he said tiredly. "You need to see this." Confused, if not worried, the two followed him up to Luigi's room. "Oh, my god," Waluigi breathed, stunned. __The once small, but cozy room was in complete shambles. Furniture was overturned, books were scattered everywhere; several pages had been ripped out, and glass sparkled throughout the trashed room. The two felt sick, when they saw the dark red splatters among the emerald covers._

_Blood._

_Luigi's blood._

_Waluigi swallowed thickly, feeling sick as Wario spoke. "What happened?" He hissed, whirling around to glare at Mario. "I don't know," Mario admitted, sounding bitter._

…_eh?_

_Seeing their confused looks, Mario sighed; before pulling out the letter and handed it to Wario. Wario read it over, growing more and more confused. "Since when did Luigi enter a contest?" And what Mario said next, sent a chill through them._

"_He didn't."_

After that, Mario had changed into some fresh clothes and left to check this mansion out. Luckily, for the duo, Luigi remained in a deep sleep. Hearing something, Waluigi turned and relaxed at the sight of his brother. Seeing the sheer exhaustion to his brother's eyes, Waluigi was hesitant. "How is he?" Wario sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Still the same," he grumbled.

Silence.

Waluigi glanced over to where Luigi slept. "You think that this has anything to do with that dig he was on?" Wario frowned. Although an innocent question, there was something ominous about it.

A sudden whimper.

Both turned to see that Luigi was beginning to toss and turn in a restless, feverish sleep. Soft moans, mixed with pained whimpers, escaped his lips. And what he was muttering, sent a chill through them.

"Mario…don't go…a trap…"

* * *

Siting upon the hill, was a grand eighteenth century, Victorian mansion. It was rather impressive looking, too. Tall pillars, a rather large front porch and a gothic touch to the roof. However, there was a slight problem; the mansion was falling apart. And this was what his brother won…? The structure was slowly rotting, causing the building to tilt slightly. Most of the windows were heavily boarded up, and those that weren't; held an ominous glow. An eerie fog seemed to curl around the mansion; and he shivered slightly.

Something…something wasn't right.

Eyes hardening, Mario determinedly marched down the path; towards the mansion. He grimaced as he stepped onto the porch; it (ugh) sagged slightly under his weight. However, just as he reached for the brass knob; something quite odd happened.

"_**Mario…"**_

…eh?

Startled, he whirled around; unconsciously sliding into a battle stance. Mario blinked owlishly; there was no one there. _Funny_, he thought. _I could have sworn that someone just called me._ Shrugging, he reached for the knob once more, only to freeze when he was suddenly overwhelmed by raw animalistic terror.

"_**Mario!"**_

The voice sounded desperate; as well as being familiar. Despite his fear, Mario felt familiar warmth. There was also a pleasant scent of honey and milk. This presence felt an awful lot like…like…

"Luigi…"

* * *

**Mario House**

"Mario…"

Luigi kept mumbling his brother's name; as he continuously tossed and turned. Without warning, the furniture; minus the couch; rattled dangerously. Alarmed, Wario reached for his shivering cousin; only to flinch in return. Sensing his brother's confusion, Wario took a deep breath.

"He's ice cold."

Waluigi glanced back to his cousin; noting that Luigi's shivering was getting worse by the second. "Just, what is happening to you?" He whispered as Luigi cringed deeply.

* * *

"Luigi…"

No way.

There was no way that he was hearing his brother's voice right now! As he knew for a fact that Luigi was back at home; still asleep. So, why did it feel like Luigi was with him right now? Mario shook his head; suddenly feeling foolish.

Ridiculous.

Frowning, Mario ignored his unease and turned back to the door, and finally chose to open it. As he went inside, Mario failed to realize that he wasn't alone. Someone or some_thing_ was watching him closely. The owner seemed to smile before they disappeared with a soft cackle. The foyer was quite the sight. The walls were shaded a rich, creamy gold lined with rich, dark wood. Ahead of him was a set of double doors, with a spiral staircase on each side. There was a small dresser with a vase, just a bit off to the left; and a sheet appeared to be covering some kind of mirror, that was to the right. Looking up, he found a beautiful looking, old-fashioned chandelier. All-in-all, it was rather lovely. _Everything…seems okay_, Mario mused as he continued to look around with suspicion.

"_**Mario, look out!"**_

Startled by the sudden, terrified cry; Mario whirled around in shock. His brown eyes widen slightly as dark tendrils slowly unfurled from the shadows. Feeling something wrapping around his ankles, Mario slowly looked down and paled. Thick, claw-like hands had a firm grip on him; as a toxic, dark purplish-black liquid rapidly formed beneath him. Mario struggled to free himself, but it was no use. Whatever it was, it had some monstrous strength; if only he could escape! Pure, raw terror now gripped him as he thrashed about in a wild, desperate attempt to escape. However, as he sunk into the darkness; Mario swore that he saw his brother, hiding behind the mirror. And the last thing he saw, was Luigi's terrified blue eyes.

Then nothing at all.

* * *

**Mario House**

"No!"

Wario and Waluigi jerked back by the sudden wail, shocked when Luigi abruptly sat up; eyes wild. The second Luigi sat up, the living room window exploded; sending the two nearly a foot into the air. They exchanged uneasy looks as if to say _'what the hell?' _Poor Luigi was trembling, breathing nothing more than pained gasps, and he was gripped by a cold, clammy sweat. "Luigi…?" Wario called, trying to coax the younger back to reality. Luigi slowly looked up, his blue eyes were dangerously pale and held a feral tint to them; before speaking in a slightly distorted voice.

"**Mario, **he…**he's gone**!"


	5. More Like Nightmare!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

* * *

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

* * *

Chapter 3

"**More Like Nightmare!"**

It had taken the duo awhile to calm their terrified cousin. After drawing in several shaken, but sharp breathes, Luigi reluctantly admitted to watching Mario getting swallowed by shadows. And yet, Luigi felt that they didn't believe him. "How can you be sure?" Waluigi snipped, looking annoyed. Luigi scowled, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

—Aaah!

Luigi hissed softly when his right arm gave an angry throb. Growling, he threw the covers off, and raised an eyebrow at the sight of the blood soaked bandages that were around his arms. With a frown, Luigi slowly unraveled them. As the last bloodied strip of cloth fell to the floor; and what laid underneath, shocked all three. Ugly bruises and painful looking cuts marred both arms. Strangely enough, the bruises were fading, and the cuts were rapidly healing. And that odd mark that was around his right arm? Well, it had grown again, and even one of the thorns was glowing softly.

What the—?

The glow eventually stopped, as did the pain. Luigi ignored this as he struggled to get up. All he knew, was that Mario was in trouble; trapped somewhere in that bloody mansion. _**Mario**_, he thought, tiredly.

_**Please be okay.**_

* * *

**Meanwhile**

Malicious eyes glowed softly as the owner gave a delightful smile. "So, little chaos has awakened? The voice was light and airy, but held a distinct tone of cruel insanity. The owner laughed, a wickedly gleeful laugh.

"Let the games begin!"

* * *

**Mario House**

Luigi had gone upstairs to wash up, and of course, change clothes; leaving the two brothers alone in the living room. Their cousin had only been gone for a few minutes, when someone knocked on the front door. Waluigi went to answer it, and after a few minutes had gone by, Wario went to check on him. And to his surprise, standing there at the door, were four _very_ familiar people; well, two anthros and two elves. First up, was a young male falcon anthro. His deep blue feathers were tinged in dark red, a lithe muscular frame and soft cinnamon eyes. He wore a tight dark blue shirt, slight baggy dark pants, a white pilot's jacket, dark combat boots and a red scarf.

Falco Lombardi.

Next to Falco, was a young fox. He had rich, dark reddish-gold fur, a tanned muzzle, a white-tipped tail and warm, slightly slitted, jade eyes. He wore a tight, sleeveless dark green shirt, dark green camouflage pants, black combat boots, a sleeveless white pilot's jacket, goggles rested upon his head, fingerless black gloves and a dark red scarf.

Fox McCloud.

Then there was an eighteen-year-old male elf. He had mid-back, light yet, dirty blond hair, lightly tanned skin, delicate features but a strong, muscular frame and almond-shaped deep blue eyes. He wore a short sleeved, deep emerald tunic, with a tight gray shirt and leggings underneath, shin length dark brown leather boots, brown leather gloves complete with matching gauntlets, a gleaming sword and a sparkling shield was strapped to his back, a brown belt and a deep emerald cap.

Link; hero of Hyrule.

Last, was a beautiful eighteen-year-old female elf. She had waist length, warm golden blond hair, creamy skin, delicate features and a slender frame, and almond-shaped pale blue eyes. She wore a short sleeved, soft lilac gown; which held intricate runes and her family's insignia on a silk sash, elbow length white gloves, dainty heels, a shimmering gold necklace and a sparkling tiara adorned her head.

Princess Zelda; ruler of Hyrule.

"What…" Wario swallowed, and tried again. "What are you guys doing here?" Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any of them since the last Smash tournament; and that was what? Seven, eight months ago? _Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?_ Wario wondered, feeling uneasy. Fox looked sheepish as Link and Zelda exchanged looks, while Falco snorted. "The hands sensed that something was wrong," Falco grumbled. "So they sent us here to check things out." Wario and Waluigi were surprised by this; and they suddenly recalled Luigi's ominous words.

No way was this a coincidence.

"What's going on?"

The duo turned, and at the same time, granted the four newcomers access; only to see a slightly pale Luigi coming up. Luigi looked awful to the four; he was pale, a little on the thin side, blue eyes dark and haunted, and exhaustion shone softly. He was wearing a dark green turtleneck, blue jeans, scruffy boots, and a green cap rested on slightly damp, brown hair. Luigi eyed the four newcomers wearily, but otherwise, he remained silent. Finally realizing that Luigi wasn't going to say anything, Wario sighed and pulled out the letter; earning curious a curious look from Luigi, and handed it to a rather confused Fox. Fox quickly read it, with Falco looking over his shoulder. "A…contest?" Fox looked up with curious eyes.

Luigi stiffened.

_**Contest? What contest?**_

"Why'd you enter something like that, anyway?" Falco questioned, curiously. Luigi's eyes narrowed slightly, and for the briefest of moments, his eyes shone a pale, icy gray; before it was gone. "Simple," he growled. "I didn't." Fox hesitated, but gave the letter to Luigi; who was finally able to read it.

Not good.

* * *

**Bog Woods**

"Why he didn't bother using the pipes," Wario grumbled as they trekked the dirt path. "I'll never know." Luigi snorted at this, silently agreeing with him. Giant green pipes, the only way to travel; not the sarcasm!" He cast a look at the four, and secretly smiled. It would appear that pipe travel did not agree with them…

Heh.

"Is that it?" Waluigi asked, snapping Luigi from his thoughts. Lightning cackled, and an ominous looking house was easily seen on a distant hill. Despite the fact that it was rundown, Luigi knew that Mario was somewhere inside.

"Yes."

It was with great reluctance that they went up to the old building; the porch sagging as they stepped onto it. Fox reached for the brass knob, and the door, surprisingly opened by itself. Everyone exchanged uneasy looks, a cold chill sweeping through them.

Definitely not good.

_**Here goes nothing…**_

* * *

**Foyer**

_**No way…**_

Luigi was stunned as he looked around the foyer; it was exactly like his dream. He shuddered at that, looking a bit queasy. "I guess we start looking around," Waluigi muttered. While the others went to try the doors; except for Link and Zelda, who were decidedly nervous, Luigi pulled out a small flashlight that he had managed to knick earlier, and looked up. His eyes widen slightly as the light illuminated a pale orange mist; that was swirling around the chandelier, and a…

…key?

However, the moment he aimed the light at the 'mist', it screeched before dissipating. And with a soft _clank_, the key clattered to the floor. Luigi bent down and picked it up.

Eh?

The faded letters _parlor_ stood out. Snorting, he tossed it to Falco; who was up on the second floor, and easily caught it. "Try using that," he suggested, dryly. The key didn't fit into the two side doors, but it _did_ fit into the main door; judging by Falco's gleeful cackle. Luigi reluctantly followed them to the newly opened room; a cold chill swept through him. He shivered, and was getting some serious vibes from the room.

**/"Welcome, Luigi…to your nightmare!"/**

* * *

Next Chapter: **Professor E. Gadd**


	6. Professor E Gadd

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for the idea of the plot, the alternate history of Luigi, and Luigi's new powers. Otherwise than that, everything and everyone else belongs to the owners of Nintendo; and therefore are not mine, so please do not sue me for using them in this story.

Thanks!

**XXXX**

**WARNING! MAY BE SHORT!**

_This was mainly just a filler chapter; introducing Professor E. Gadd to the gang. So, sorry if it isn't up to speed. I'm kind of focusing on "The Darkness Reborn" right now. Ciao people!_

**XXXX**

Summary: Luigi always stood out against his brother, although he's not quite sure why. As he begins to learn more about his past, a war breaks out. Now, it's a race against time for the other side. Darkness and Light are desperate to have Luigi, so desperate that they are willing to do anything to have him.

Even kill.

Can Mario, their cousins; Wario and Waluigi, save Luigi from an untimely fate? Or is Luigi doomed to fall?

**XXXX**

Key

"_**blah"**_ – Luigi's thoughts

"_blah"_ – Everyone else's thoughts

**XXXX**

Parlor

Upon entering the small room, the group carefully inspected the room. The walls were lined with creamy wallpaper and dark wood. There were a few pictures of people lining the walls, two glass cabinets full of dishes, a chest-like table was next to a cabinet, a big cushy chair, two small dining tables with chairs and a crystal chandelier. There were two candles on each table and on the desk. And the candles were lit with a soft purple flame; kind of creepy, though.

For some reason, Luigi was shivering, despite the fact that the room was quite warm. "You okay?" Wario questioned, seeing that Luigi was trembling. "Ugh," Luigi grumbled, rubbing his hands together. "It's freezing in here!" The others exchanged worried looks. "What are you talking about?" Falco asked, cocking his head. "It's warm in here!" Zelda was concerned when Luigi's shivering grew worse. It was reaching the point where his breathes were coming out as frozen puffs. So, why was he freezing while they weren't?

Giggling.

_**What…?**_

**/"They can't hear us,"/** Sneered an unknown male's voice. **/"Only **you** can!"/** The voice continued. Luigi paled, then that meant…uh-oh. **/"Perhaps,"/** Said an oily female's voice. **/"We should do to you as we did to your brother?"/** Wario and Waluigi were more than a little worried when Luigi's pale skin started to take on a grayish tone, and his wild eyes were searching frantically for something or…some_one_.

"Luigi?" Waluigi called.

Without warning, a wind swept through; causing the candles to flicker out. The room was soon plunged into darkness. Falco turned, and let out a curse. The others, except for Luigi, turned and tensed. Thick, thorny, wooden vines had sprouted over the door; thus, sealing them in the room. "We're trapped!" Falco growled, slamming a fist against the wall, luckily, away from the thorns. A pained yelp escaped Luigi, just as icy fingers wrapped around his throat. Before their very eyes, Luigi was lifted into the air by an invisible force. "Can't…breathe!" He rasped, as his face started turning red, lips slowly going white. Luigi clawed frantically as those fingers tightened. As his vision began to fade, he felt the grip on his throat lessen, but he was soon flying through the air.

Ooowww!

He slammed into the door with surprising force, the thorns deeply piercing his back. With a moan, Luigi collapsed. Zelda hurried over and gently placed a hand over his back, which when pulled back; was stained red.

Blood.

"You're hurt," She said softly, as he slowly sat up; wincing and coughing violently. "I'm fine," he rasped. "It's just a scratch." He waved her off, but she didn't look convinced. Luigi slowly stood up, his back flaring slightly. "What…are those things?" Fox asked in unease, one hand on his blaster.

…eh?

Luigi looked up and blinked owlishly. There, hovering near the chest-desk, were two bright orange, inky globs in humanoid shapes with glowing yellow eyes. Oh, who was he kidding? They looked like those old and cheesy cartoonish ghosts!

"Ghosts?" Wario tried, weakly.

Luigi snorted. "Yeah right," he grumbled. "And you know this how…?" Waluigi drawled. The younger man rolled his eyes, but kept silent. Waluigi sighed, looking a bit annoyed. Sometimes his little cousin could be too stubborn for his own good.

"Coming through!"

A strange little man came barreling out of nowhere. He was a thin man with wispy white hair that stuck out as if electrified, a bulbous nose and beady dark eyes that were behind a pair of thick, coke bottle glasses. He even wore a white lab coat over a brown business suit. Oddly enough, he had a modified, high-tech vacuum cleaner strapped to his back.

Oh?

Before the old man could do anything, one of the 'ghost; knocked him to the ground with a cackle. The two cackled loudly, before disappearing. The man groaned, rubbing his head. "Oh," he muttered. "I'm getting too old for this ghost-hunting business."

Ghost…hunting?

Wario helped the man to his feet, and the man finally seemed to notice them. "Ah, my name is Professor E. Gadd," he introduced himself politely. "And I, of course, research and hunt ghosts." Luigi inwardly frowned, and looked away. Gadd then adjusted his glasses. "Now, how can I help you kids?" Seeing that Luigi wasn't going to talk, the two cousins sighed and told the Professor what had led them here. Professor Gadd was silent, before turning to Luigi. "I don't know how to tell you this," he began. "But this mansion only appeared a few days ago." He pushed his glasses up. "Although, I did see a short man in red going in," He mused. Luigi perked up.

_**Mario?**_

"But, he never did come out." Gadd continued, missing the flash of pain in Luigi's eyes. "Then that means," Falco said grimly. "that Mario is somewhere inside this mansion." Luigi bit his lip, now more worried than ever; something that the cousins noted. _Thanks a lot, Falco!_ The two thought, bitterly.

Hm…?

Everyone turned, only to see _five_ more of those orange ghosts hovering nearby. "Oh dear," Was all Gadd could get out. "I think we need to leave," Fox said, uneasily as he took a step back. "My lab," Gadd urged.

"We can talk there!"

**XXXX**

Moments later, they were inside a small, but cozy building that oddly enough, sat at the base of the hill. Luigi was quiet while Falco and Link went to check the place out. One area, Falco found out, was set up to resemble a large gallery. But, every twenty-three frames were entirely empty. And Link found another area that was set up to resemble a large training room. "This Mario," Gadd piped up as he removed his gear. "is he related to you?" Luigi nodded, his blue eyes soft. "Yes, my older brother," He answered, softly. Gadd was thoughtful as he eyed Luigi carefully. "Yes, this may work out after all…"

Huh?

Luigi was surprised when Gadd proceeded to drag him to the training room. "What's going on?" He demanded, hotly. "Why, to start your training of course!" Gadd said, a little too cheerfully. "What kind of training?" Waluigi demanded.

"Ghost hunting!"

Luigi's eyes widen slightly.

_**Ghost hunting?** **Me?!**_

* * *

Here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy.

Next Chapter: **Let the Games Begin!**


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